Chapter Twenty Six

Alice

I just heard from Marcus spies that Demetri had a location for Bella and was moving in. Aro had sent him Alec so they didn't stand a chance if Bella were still changing and from my vision she would be so I had to warn them but it wasn't easy, Aro and Caius were both suspicious and if I were found passing messages or warnings to Jasper then I might well become another of Aro's victims, leaving Marcus alone once more and there was no way I would see my darling alone and so miserable again. He was now beginning to smile and it made him a totally different man. This meant a long wait until I saw it was safe to ring Jazz and I knew I would only have a few minutes window of opportunity at most. While Marcus kept watch for Aro or Jane, one was on their way, I rang Jazz.

"I don't have long Jazz, Demetri is almost on you and he has Alec, get Bella away now and good luck."

"Are we going to die?"

I had no idea, there were too many variables and I almost lied but that would be wrong so I just said,

"I don't know"

Then I was forced to cut the call as Marcus came back in, his cloak billowing in his haste.

"Jane is coming Alice, quickly"

I put the phone in the drawer and went to sit in the window seat with Marcus and we talked about music we liked, stopping as if disturbed when she entered the room.

"Jane, you could try knocking. I realize it would be novel for you but even so"

She scowled at me,

"Aro wants to see you and Alice"

She consistently refused to look at me or acknowledge my presence but I knew it bugged her that I was as valued as she was. I was more valuable in fact and so far I had been able to help Aro without putting Jazz or Bella in danger but I knew it was coming.

"Tell my brother we will be with him soon"

She glared as Marcus turned back to me,

"You were saying, sweet one"

Rose

Jasper told us of Alice's warning and Emmett and I went upstairs to collect Bella wrapping her in a blanket before carrying her downstairs and still she hadn't moved or make a sound. At the bottom we were stopped by Peter,

"Too late, they're coming in from both directions. Stay here with her and make sure she keeps quiet.

"Is Felix coming?"

Peter looked at Emmett and shook his head,

"No Demetri and some guard one way and Alec and a couple of the guard the other. No sign of old ugly."

He disappeared outside and Emmett put Bella down gently on the couch. As we listened we heard Carlisle's voice,

"Demetri old friend what are you doing here?"

"Carlisle, I'm equally surprised to see you. I didn't know you were involved with the human everyone is looking for"

"Yes, she's attached to my son"

"Oh, we heard she and Edward had broken up. Were our sources wrong?"

"No she and Edward did, but she is mate to another of my sons, Jasper Hale"

There was a startled silence and it occurred to me that they didn't know this,

"She's Major Whitlocks mate?"

"Yes, so you see I don't understand why you are here."

"I have orders, Bella Swan was given a reprieve so long a she became one of us but that didn't happen."

"Its happening now"

"Really? A little late for Aro I think. He wants her taken to Italy."

"We can bring her when she wakes."

"Perhaps you didn't hear me, Aro wants her now."

Emmett looked out of the window, hiding from view by the curtain but he hissed,

"Alec's almost here, were done for."

We both turned as we heard a strangled noise from Bella,

"Go now"

"Bella? What the hell? "

"Take me now"

"Alec's here Bella, it's over"

"Now"

The word was almost lost between clenched teeth but he looked at me and I nodded,

"All we can do is try Em"

Picking Bella up we slid out through a side and into the trees, just missing Alec's arrival and ran a fast as we could expecting to lose all our senses at any moment but nothing happened and the further we got the more optimistic I became.

"I think we're going to make it Em. We need transport now."

Close to the highway there was a restaurant which was closed but there were two trucks parked up outside, engines cold to the touch. I couldn't hear or smell any humans close by so I scrambled into the back with Bella while Emmett hot wired the truck and we were soon on the road gunning the engine to get as many miles between us and our pursuers as we could.

"Where am I headed Rosie?"

"Anywhere for now, just keep going. How much gas do we have?"

He looked at the gauge then turned to me with a smile,

"I reckon someone is smiling down at us, the tank is three-quarters full."

"Then go until you really need to fill up and we'll dump the truck and run a while, no one can track us easily that way."

He nodded and drove on while I looked down at Bella, she seemed deeply unconscious, had she really spoken to us? Did we hallucinate it all? After all she was still burning, how could she talk through the pain without screaming in agony.

Demetri

Alec and his small guard came to join us,

"Well Major, the girl?"

He looked to the house and I sent the guard in to fetch her out when he and the Captain made a break for it, running not towards the house but away and the remaining guard chased after them until Alec turned and suddenly both pursued and pursuers came to a stop, blind, deaf and dumb, stuck in limbo. I turned at a curse and saw the guards come out shaking their heads,

"Where is she?"

"Its empty, no one there now"

"But there was?"

"Scent of two vampires and a transforming human."

"How the hell did they get away? Get after them, find me some tracks, damn, Aro isn't going to be happy about this."

Alec came to stand by my side,

"What about them?"

"Wait."

I rang Aro watched by Carlisle, Esme, and Charlotte."

"Well?"

"We have the Major and the Captain along with Carlisle and Esme Cullen but no human. She's changing now but someone took her from the house before we got here"

Alec raised an eyebrow but there was no way I was admitting she'd been snatched under our very noses.

"Find her before Felix does Demetri."

"What about the others?"

"Let me speak to Carlisle."

I handed my phone to Carlisle and stood waiting for further orders. I thought it may well be the end for the Cullens at last. They'd been a thorn in Aro's side for too long but he felt some strange kinship with Carlisle which stopped him from ordering his death.

Carlisle

This was going to be a very strained conversation but I tried to sound relaxed,

"Aro old friend, I trust you are well. Its been too long."

"Carlisle, what brings you so far from home?"

"Visiting family Aro, Jasper Hale and his mate"

"This mate being the human girl Bella Swan? The same girl who begged for your son Edward's life and promised she would become one of us?"

"The same but she and Edward weren't as well suited as she thought. She is however Jasper Hales mate, I've seen it."

"You mean Major Whitlock's mate. Not quite the same thing now is it?"

"Well we will disagree on that one, but she is changing now so I don't think you need to worry. I'll vouch for her.

"Where is she Carlisle?"

"I have no idea, I thought she was in the house."

"Who else was visiting?"

"Peter Whitlock and his mate and Esme and I"

"Really? So Bella just got up and ran away while she burned? Please Carlisle don't take me for a fool. Who took her?"

"Emmett and Rose, my other children were in the house and I can only assume they panicked thinking we were in danger."

"So thinking you might be in danger they took Bella and ran? Very family minded of them. I want Bella Swan Carlisle. I don't have time to play around with you. Ring your son and ask him to bring her back."